


We Are All Just Stars That Have People Names

by babyfairy



Series: Counting the Stars [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Inspired by Fanart, Post-War, i'm so weak for these two with babies oh man, small peek at the princess doing magic bye, star babies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-09
Updated: 2017-08-09
Packaged: 2018-12-06 17:46:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11605713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babyfairy/pseuds/babyfairy
Summary: "Princess," He says, "You are, indeed, pregnant."





	We Are All Just Stars That Have People Names

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Littlespacestars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlespacestars/gifts).



> So this entire thing came about because [littlespacestars](http://littlespacestars.tumblr.com/) made [these](http://littlespacestars.tumblr.com/post/162189985764/shiro-with-a-baby-sling-as-promised-concept) [ two](http://littlespacestars.tumblr.com/post/163582295344/please-have-my-doodly-shallura-baby-garbage-thats%22) heart melting pieces of art!! Hope you enjoy it!! <3  
> Lemme just say up front that I'm not the most creative person in the world when it comes to making up clever alien pregnancies and symptoms, but I hope it's believable and enjoyable anyway!

In the entire time that he's known her, Shiro has never seen Allura sick. Not a single sniffle, not a cough, not a sneeze, not even The Slipperies like Coran had come down with ages ago.

So to see her looking paler than usual, and a little green under her pink markings, well, it worries him quite a bit. 

He's been paying close attention to Allura lately, since the paleness cropped up, and he's noticed that she's more lethargic than usual. She becomes nauseous at the slightest hint of anything edible; he thought it was over when she'd managed to eat at breakfast, but his worry crept back in when the princess skipped lunch and dinner. When she decides to retire to their room far earlier than she normally would, he follows her back.

The doors open and close behind them. Allura lets out a long, slow sigh that brings her shoulders down with it. She removes the circlet from her brow and places it on the vanity; the movement looks as though it taxes her a great deal. Shiro frowns. "Lay down," He tells her gently. 

She doesn't fight him, not one bit. Allura slides into bed and drops herself among the blankets and pillows. Her eyes close immediately. She draws her legs up in a half hearted attempt to curl into herself. Shiro settles beside her gently. He moves her hair from her shoulders so that she can rest comfortably. "What's going on with you?" 

Allura sighs again, softly this time. "I haven't the slightest clue," She mumbles. Her voice is thick with exhaustion. "It's been so long since I've been ill, I hardly remembered how difficult it could be."

Shiro hums softly. He smooths his hand down Allura's hair, watching as her breathing begins to even out and her face begins to relax. "Rest," He murmurs, shifting down to kiss her cheek. It's warm and a bit clammy under his lips. "I'll go talk to Coran and see if we can identify anything."

Shiro spends a good three hours with Coran reading up on the anatomy and functions of the Altean body. He learns a great deal of information that might prove useful at some point, but nothing that can really tell him about Allura's situation. Coran rambles on about the possibilities. He seems to remember everything that's affected Allura physically from the moment she was born until this very hour. But none of the illnesses cataloged offer anything. They share one, maybe two symptoms at the most, but the over all description of each one seems off base. He crosses his arms, frowning. Nothing seems right.

Until he comes across the sixth page in the current file he has opened on the monitor. His eyes feel dry and tired, but he blinks through it and reads on. One very specific word pops out at him.

Pregnancy.

His eyes narrow. Part of him wants to open the link out of sheer curiosity - is it any different than what a human woman experiences back on Earth? The rest of him is whispering that this is it, this is the source of the problem, and it makes his stomach clench uncomfortably.

He opens the link.

"Pregnancy?" Coran reads, his own eyes widening. "No, no, that isn't-" He looks at Shiro and the words die on his tongue. Given that it's his species, Coran would know more about how this works than he would, and for him to go silent like that is very foreboding.

Coran leans closer to the monitor and reads the description quietly under his breath. Shiro reads along silently. _The first trimester includes symptoms such as mild to intense nausea, lethargy, paleness, exhaustion, and mood swings. Typically, the female's facial markings will begin to glow brighter from the conception to the birth. More than one fetus can increase the severity of the symptoms._

Shiro swallows hard, audibly. He tries with all of his might to think back to when he and Allura had last slept together, but his mind is completely and utterly blank with shock. All of the symptoms are there. Allura has been exhibiting everything but the mood swings for a good while now. Behind his ribs, his heart trembles at the sheer possibility of it all.

Beside him, Coran whistles. The sound echoes through the empty room. "I'll be honest, I always thought it would be Lance and Keith that would somehow bring a baby into the castle," He admits, "But for once, you beat them to it!"

Shiro smacks himself in the face with his prosthetic hand.

\-------------

"Pregnant?!" 

Allura's voice is shrill and exploding with shock. Her eyes are wide and round as she looks between Shiro and Coran. "That can't be it! I'm not - I can't be!" 

Coran nods his head to the file displayed on the monitor, one they had looked at just yesterday. "Your symptoms line up with it perfectly, Princess," He tells her. He is by far the calmest person in the room. "See for yourself."

Shiro watches in silence. He watches the way Allura marches to the monitor, watches the electric blue light highlight her cheek markings and the sharp jut of her chin. The pink on her face is especially bright today. She narrows her eyes at the file, as if daring it to defy her. A fond smile crosses his face.

He doesn't know why the idea is so unexpected. They've been married for several years now and they've been having unprotected sex for far longer than that. In hindsight, it's probably some sort of miracle or stroke of luck that this didn't happen sooner. A small part of him is still insisting that it isn't confirmed, there's no telling yet, but the rest has settled into the idea and is beginning to accept it for what it is.

Still, he'll wait until they have a way to confirm it for sure before he reacts one way or the other.

Across the room, Allura leans away from the monitor and crosses her arms with a decidedly unhappy frown. Her eyes find Shiro's, and he offers her a small smile that comes out more like a grimace. He doesn't know her feelings on the topic; they've only discussed children fleetingly, mostly around the fact that, if it ever happened, it would keep the Altean bloodline alive. But beyond that, it never crossed either of their minds. Their time has been occupied by the after math of the war; removing Galra command from planets, dealing with Zarkon supporters, forming new alliances, helping prisoners get back home or finding somewhere new for them if their planets had been destroyed, the works. Who would have time to think about creating and raising a child in an environment like that?

But now it's a very real possibility looming over their heads. Shiro sighs softly. Allura doesn't look happy about the situation, and he's not sure how he should feel about it. Before all of this had happened, he hadn't minded the idea of having children some day. In fact, he likes kids a great deal, and the idea of being a father was something he had assumed would be a natural part of his life. But that was before he'd left Earth. Now? Well, now he's not so sure. 

Can he handle being a father in the life he currently lives? And with his state of mind? Any child he might have deserves his full attention and affection, and it worries him that he might not be able to provide that for them. And worse than that, would he be able to protect them? Ending the war hasn't entirely eliminated every threat around, and just the possibility is crippling in it's terror.

"Is there a way we can find out for sure?" He asks, looking up. "Any sort of sonogram?" When he receives quizzical looks, he explains, "It's a technique that uses ultrasound to see the inside of the body. Specifically the uterus, in this situation." 

Coran hums thoughtfully and rocks on his heels. "Should be something in the medical wing. Shall we go check?"

As it turns out, the Altean version of a sonogram is a full body scan. Allura stands to her full height, chin lifted in defiance, brows furrowed over her frown. Her cheek marks glow against the artificial light of the machine. Shiro stands beside Coran. His eyes move between the display and his wife. She looks ready to challenge whatever the outcome will be. 

She's perfectly healthy; her heartbeat is strong, her other organs are in perfect condition. Her muscles are in great shape and there isn't a single blemish on her skin. 

The scan picks up on the symptoms Allura has been exhibiting as of late. They appear in a neat list as the light reaches her feet. It begins to progress upwards again and lingers at her abdomen. Shiro's heart flutters nervously as he watches the display process the scan. 

New data appears. Shiro can't quite process what he's seeing, but Coran doesn't have this problem. He whistles loudly and looks up at Allura.

"Princess," He says, "You are, indeed, pregnant." 

Shiro's heart disappears somewhere in his stomach. He meets Allura's gaze. She stares at him in shock, in horror, eyes wide, mouth parted slightly. There is no denying it now.

Coran clears his throat. "There's more than one, ah, fetus."

Shiro nearly topples over. Across from them, Allura makes a noise that matches the horrified look in her eyes. "How many?!" She demands.

"Two." 

Two. Two babies. Twins. Allura is pregnant with twins. For a moment, the world around Shiro fades into white noise as his mind tries to wrap around the information that's been presented to them.

"You're quite fertile, aren't you, Shiro?" Coran chuckles and shakes his head. "Two for the first time? That's impressive!"

Once again, Shiro's prosthetic hand collides with his face.

\-------------

For a good forty-five minutes, Allura disguises herself as a lump under the blanket. Shiro lets her be; she'd threatened to dislocate his knee after he'd teased her about her behavior being very un-princess-like. He sits beside the lump that she is and waits it out patiently with his well worn, favorite book. When he reaches the end of the twenty-seventh chapter, the blanket retreats enough to reveal a patch of snowy hair, a forehead furrowed in consternation, vibrant blue eyes, unusually bright cheek markings, and a pout that he will always, always find adorable.

Shiro closes his book and sets it aside, then wiggles down so that he's at eye level with Allura. 

"How did this happen?" She asks. He almost makes a joke, but her voice is so meek that he checks himself. Instead, he tugs the blanket up enough to slide under it with her and finds her hands. Allura clutches at his fingers tightly. "This has to be some sort of dream, Shiro, it has to be some sort of nightmare." 

Shiro hums softly. He glances down the length of her body, but he can't really see the shape of her stomach under the darkness of the blanket, or beneath her dress. "We haven't been very careful," He points out, looking back up. "It was bound to happen at some point, I guess."

Allura whines loudly. She buries her face into her pillow; her skin is still paler than usual, still just a bit green beneath her markings. He's surprised she hasn't thrown up over the news. Huffing, Allura rolls onto her back. Shiro props his chin against his palm and tilts his head. As terrifying as this prospect is for him, it must be ten times that for Allura; she's the one experiencing the pregnancy. She's the one carrying the babies, and she'll be the one growing and birthing them if she chooses to go through with it.

He reaches out to trace the shape of her jaw. "What would you have done if this had happened in your old life?" He asks softly. "How would you have felt then?"

She's quiet for a bit. Her eyes watch the ceiling. "In my old life, I expected to have children at some point. I wouldn't have been exactly thrilled - I've never been very good with children, you see, but it was something that I at least expected. I'm - I was an only child, I would have married and then taken over as queen with my partner eventually. And it would have been our duty to produce an heir. But it was normal in that life, it was expected. The idea wasn't... Unpleasant, whenever I thought about it. I suppose my feelings were mixed. But I would have prepared myself to be a mother regardless." She sighs softly and finally moves her gaze to her husband. "Now, it's... Terrifying. Which sounds like such an understatement. It's taken me so long to adjust to everything that happened, I suppose I simply... Never expected anything I considered normal to happen to me." 

"You mentioned marriage," Shiro points out. "That was normal to you. We got married." 

Allura hums, a disquieted sound. "Yes, but children - that's something entirely different. I don't know that I'm ready to be a mother. There is still so much work left to do. How will I be able to focus if I have a child - two children - attached to me?" 

"Well, for one, you wouldn't be doing it alone." He tugs on a lock of hair, a gentle reminder of his presence. "This is technically my fault, and I would absolutely be apart of this. You wouldn't have to care for them all on your own. And we'd have five extra babysitters, which would help." He lifts the corner of his mouth in an attempt to smile, to lighten the mood, and then he exhales softly. "But if you aren't ready, Allura, then you don't have to do this." 

She frowns up at him. "But-"

"No buts. It's your body, so it's entirely your decision." His jaw clenches for just a moment; maybe the idea isn't his favorite. Maybe it makes him feel just a bit sick, but he's refusing to let that attachment grow like it's threatening to. "Don't think about how I'll feel. Don't think of this as a duty. And yes, I'm fully aware of what it could mean for your people, but how you feel about this is the most important thing right now. And if you're not ready, then we won't do this."

"If I choose not to, you - you won't hate me?" 

Her words squeeze at his heart. And that's exactly why he refuses to let himself get attached. He will not put that sort of pressure on her. Shiro leans down and places a kiss on Allura's cheek. "Never," He tells her. His voice is soft but the words are firm. "I could never hate you, especially not for this." Taking her hand, he squeezes it tightly. "Think about it. I think we still have time before it's too late to decide either way. Just do what you feel is best."

For a second, her lower lip trembles. Allura shifts over and presses her face to Shiro's shoulder. He bites back a sigh and rests his lips to her hair, closing his eyes. There is no point in torturing himself over all of the possible outcomes. Whatever is going to happen will happen, and he will deal with the results.

 

\-------------

They decide to keep the news under wraps for the time being. Until a decision has been made, there's no point in making a big announcement.

Shiro watches Allura far more than he usually would. Somehow, having an answer to what's been plaguing Allura makes him more anxious. Her symptoms haven't gone away; she's taken to resting more to deal with them, to forcing down some foul smelling liquid Coran says will help with the nausea and mood swings, if they happen to occur. 

Mostly, he watches the shape of her abdomen. Now that he knows, he can detect the faintest curve to her normally flat and muscled stomach. It's so hard to resist the urge to touch the bump, to familiarize the shape of it under his fingertips. That would acknowledge the longing that's been growing inside of his chest and it would cause a definite problem. 

Allura hasn't said a word about the situation since they last spoke on it. He doesn't want to push her to make a decision. But every so often, he catches her hand resting low on her stomach, over the curve, and the sight squeezes his heart tightly. 

He doesn't want to hope. He doesn't want to feel anything at all until he knows what she wants to do.

The morning after they leave a planet with a name Shiro and several of the paladins couldn't pronounce for the life of them, Allura opts to stay in their room. Shiro leaves her with a soft kiss and takes over what duties he can in his princess' absence. He starts the day relieved that Allura is choosing to rest for once and makes sure to send food to their room every so often, but she hasn't emerged late into the day, he begins to worry a little. Allura is too much of a hard worker to stay bed ridden for this long. 

He gives it another hour before he returns to their room. The doors open for him, but he finds the room empty as he steps inside. Shiro frowns. "Allura?" He calls, looking to the doorway that leads to the bathroom. It's closed, but he can hear shuffling on the other side.

Shiro decides to change out of his sweaty work out clothes in favor of something cleaner, softer, and dry. He fixes the hem of the shirt around his waist and perches on the bed, watching the bathroom door. He tries not to let his mind run wild, but it's not like Allura to lock herself inside all day like this. 

Finally, the door opens. Allura steps out with a quiet sigh. She's still pale, cheek marks still bright. Even the stripes and swirls along her arms and shoulders and collarbones seem to glow. Her night gown whispers across the floor as she crosses the room, and her shoulders drop a bit when she spots Shiro. He opens his arms and she tucks herself into his lap, head buried into his neck. When she sighs again, he strokes her hair and kisses the crown of her head.

Allura lifts her head. She lifts her chin and squares her shoulders in the way that means she's settled into something and can't be budged. Shiro watches her.

"I want to keep them."

His heart stumbles, stops, and then begins to beat in double time. Eyes wide, his mouth opens for a moment before he manages to ask, "Really? You're sure? Absolutely sure?" Excitement creeps into his voice and he's powerless to stop it. 

Allura presses her teeth to her lower lip and nods. She places her hands on Shiro's shoulders. "I am absolutely petrified," She breathes, eyes widening, "I don't know if I can properly express how scared I am of becoming a mother - and to two babies at once!" Her eyes soften and her gaze drifts downwards. She leans back to look at her stomach. "But... I can't find it in me to let them go. It will help repopulate my people, yes, but more than that -" She meets his eyes again, and the love and wonder sparkling in the depths of that cerulean gaze threatens to steal his breath. "They are _ours_ , Takashi. Our babies. Our children. We made them. I don't know exactly how you feel about becoming a father, but I never thought I would get the opportunity to properly marry someone that I love, let alone create life with them, and you gave both of those options back to me. How could I possibly give that up?"

Something tight closes around his throat. He understands; it's the normalcy of it all, of creating a family, even if they can't exactly settle down. And it's the hope that comes with new life, the proof that they can be happy and have things like this despite everything that's happened to them both.

Shiro takes Allura's hands and kisses her knuckles. He exhales unsteadily, laughing a bit when he feels tears at the corners of his eyes. "I'm terrified, too," He admits, looking up at her. "Completely and totally terrified. Raising kids is a hard thing to do, and in the life we live? Probably fifteen times harder." He shakes his head a bit. "I've been thinking about it since it happened. Before all of this happened, before I was captured, I thought I would eventually go back home, settle down, and start a family. I've always liked the idea of being a father, as scary as it is. But, yeah, I didn't think I'd get that after what happened, either. So I am scared." A small smile pulls at the corners of his mouth. "But I'm happy, too. I'm so, so excited."

Slowly, Allura smiles at him, and relief creeps into the edges of it. She leans in and kisses Shiro sweetly, kisses him with an unsteady laugh. "That's it, then," She murmurs, forehead touching his. "We're really going to do this. We're going to be parents."

A sudden and large balloon of happiness pops inside of Shiro's chest. He shakes his head and lowers his gaze to Allura's stomach, where he knows the soft curve that gives away the presence of their children is. Gently, ever so gently, he places his hands on her waist and lets both flesh and metal thumbs rest on the outer edges of the bump, touching it for the first time. It's so small, so miniscule, but it's there - they are there, beginning to make their presence properly known.

The tears in his eyes well up further. Shiro lifts his head to kiss Allura again. When he speaks, his voice is a whisper thick with gratitude.

"Thank you." 

\-------------

They wait until the other paladins return from the annual visit to Earth to announce the news. Shiro has hardly been able to leave Allura's side since she made her decision. He swears to her that he can see her bump growing bigger each day; she tells him to stop being silly each time, but smiles regardless. 

Coran is overjoyed and more protective than ever. He's insisted that Allura drink at least one glass of the orange drink she hates so much, which Shiro has come to think of as a prenatal smoothie, because one glass is all that Allura can tolerate. The taste leaves her grimacing for an hour after it's gone. 

They're sitting on the floor of the training deck when the castle alerts them that the others have returned. Allura eases out of the yoga position she's in and huffs her hair out of her face. "I still don't understand why I can't train," She grumbles. 

"Because it's dangerous now," Shiro says. It's the third time he's said it, but he doesn't mind; Allura has never been the type to sit still for long. "Too much exertion could harm the babies and you. I keep telling you, if you really want to stay active, you have to do stuff like yoga or walking. You can't train with the bots or any of us until after the babies are born." 

Allura crosses her arms, mouth pursed. The look she gives him is full of judgment. "I have seen Altean warriors performing incredible feats of athleticism with their bellies practically bursting. We may look the same, but our physiology is not as delicate as yours, Shiro." 

"Just humor me, please?" Shiro lifts his hands with an exasperated sigh. "It just worries me to think about something happening to you or to them or both." 

Allura's judgment melts away into tenderness. "Fine." She takes one of Shiro's hands and kisses the back of it. "I will take it easy, as Hunk would say, for you only."

Shiro smiles softly. "Thank you." He holds onto Allura's hand and stands up, pulls her to her feet, and leans in to place a kiss on her cheek. "Let's go say hi to our friends."

They welcome their paladins back home with open arms and bright smiles. Shiro watches everyone hug Allura and taps his fingers against his thighs to avoid shouting, _Careful! Be gentle, she's in delicate condition!_ Already this pregnancy is taking his anxiety to a new level. Over Lance's shoulder, Coran gives him a knowing smile.

The group convenes in the lounge room. Shiro helps Coran pass out drinks and small snacks to the others to help them settle in after their trip. He takes his place beside Allura, who doesn't look away from her conversation with Pidge, but places her hand on his knee to acknowledge his presence.

Shiro checks in with Keith, asks after their family and his exploits. He checks in with Hunk and Lance as well, wanting to know what everyone was up to, but the pace of his heart is beginning to pick up with each second that passes. Any minute now, the news won't be a secret anymore. And it won't be long after that the word will spread, and then what? It hits him then that someone could choose to attack while Allura is vulnerable and the color begins to drain from his face. Shiro clenches his jaw, forces the anxiety back into its rightful compartment. No, he will not not let such a thing happen. And no, he will not think like that, either.

He exhales slowly, subtly, and forces the buzz out of his limbs. But Allura notices. Of course she notices; she never misses a single thing about him. She squeezes his thigh with a firm grip, her own way of bringing him back to the present and out of the tar that his anxiety is. His eyes sweep over her once - searching for the small bump he knows is there. But it's hidden beneath the folds of her dress, tucked away safely under the golden strip of fabric that separates the bodice from the skirt. 

When the conversation has lulled, Allura clears her throat. She brushes her hair behind her shoulders and straightens her posture, lifting her chin - a clear sign that she means business. It captures the attention of everyone in the room. Shiro feels his heart tumble about, but he remains silent, choosing to watch for the moment instead.

A small smile forms on Allura's face. It isn't the diplomatic one she uses when dealing with political affairs, but much a softer one, a smile that's reserved for the family she's made of the paladins. 

"Friends, if we could please have your attention, Shiro and I have news that we would like to share with you." A hint of nerves glimmers in her eyes. "I am with child." She pauses, glances at Shiro with a fleeting, questioning look. "Ah - children. I am with children." 

Surprisingly, it isn't Lance that chokes on his drink, or even Hunk, but Keith. He doubles over and coughs hard, clapping a hand to his mouth in an attempt to keep from making a mess of the floor. Aside from Keith's coughing, the room is as still as the space outside their castle for several heart beats.

Shiro attempts a smile of his own as three shocked gazes meet his.

"Allura is pregnant," He reiterates.

Slowly, Pidge asks, "What do you mean children?"

"I am carrying two children," Allura explains. She clasps her hands against her chest and smiles. Her eyes are filled with obvious anxiety, with cautious excitement, but her smile is so genuine that it squeezes at Shiro's racing heart. "Twins! We are expecting twins!" She lowers her hands to her stomach and smooths her dress down tightly. The bump peeks out, still so small but noticeable, and several audible gasps and shouts explode within the room. The bump is all they needed for proof.

"Oh, my god!" Hunk slaps his hands to his cheeks. "Oh - you guys, this is amazing! I'm so excited! Babies, two babies, we're gonna have babies running around this ship!" 

The nerves within Shiro begin to ease. He watches as Lance and Hunk move closer, crowding in to their space to get a better look at the bump with Pidge. Lance leans back to pump his fists into the air. "I'm gonna be an uncle! Again! Oh, man, I can teach you guys everything! I know how to burp a baby, how to change diapers, how to make baby food, how to calm them down-" He stops mid-sentence, a quizzical look crossing his face. "Well. I know how to calm human babies down. But how hard can this be, right?"

Shiro can't help it. His own smile breaks through, wide and happy. The energy in the room is seeping into him; it's the exact reaction he had hoped for.

He looks at Keith, who is watching him with wide eyes. "I'm gonna be an uncle," Keith murmurs, and his voice is so soft, so full of wonder that something inside of Shiro's chest melts. He knows how hard it can be for Keith to connect to other people; he's seen it first hand. And to see the look of sheer amazement in his brother's eyes at the prospect of being an uncle relaxes a knot Shiro didn't know was sitting under his ribs.

"Yeah, buddy, you are. You're gonna be an uncle." He grins at Keith and squeezes his shoulder. Keith huffs a laugh, grins back at Shiro, and shifts closer to hug him tightly. He lets go and reaches for Allura's hands, the closest he can get to her through the small crowd around her.

Shiro looks over everyone's heads to meet Allura's gaze. Her eyes are sparkling with happiness, making her lovely face glow. His heart begins to sing quietly at the sight.

On the floor, Lance leans back again, hands on the floor behind him. A familiar smirk crosses his face. "Boy, girl, whatever the kids are, I fully expect one to be named after me. Lance, Jr. Or Alejandro, Alejandra, doesn't matter. I have several to pick from."

Allura's expression flattens out immediately. She raises one perfectly groomed brow. "Absolutely not."

Lance's groan is disapproval is quickly followed by a rapid fire list of reasons as to why it's the perfect idea. Allura shoots down each one, and Shiro simply watches with a tender smile, his heart full to the brim.

\-------------

Shiro helps Allura onto the dias for her full body scan check up. She settles her skirt about her feet and holds still as the scan begins. 

Now well into her second trimester, Allura is beginning to properly show. Today she wears her pink and white nightgown and her blue robe. Though her bump hasn't quite popped yet, she can no longer wear her favored dress comfortably, or fit into her flight suit. The princess has had to adjust her wardrobe accordingly, and some days include simply wearing her nightgown around the castle. It pleases Shiro to see her relaxing more than she would usually allow herself to. The tonic Coran continues to make for her has helped her symptoms ease up; the paleness is gone and the nausea is fleeting. Her cheek marks still glow a vibrant shade of pink, but the rest of her is beginning to glow as well.

It's a sight Shiro is utterly enamored with.

The scan hovers around Allura's mid-section for a prolonged look. Outside of the platform the princess stands on, Pidge flits back and forth to watch the process unfold. Years spent on this castle and she's still finding new pieces of technology to be fascinated by. Shiro smiles softly. 

Behind the control panel, Coran hums. "Everything is going well," He reports. "You're healthy as ever, Allura, and the babies are growing as they should. They've already developed so much, it looks as though you have about four months to go before they arrive."

Allura meets Shiro's gaze and they both exhale a slow breath. Four months to prepare for the arrival of their children. Four months to safe guard the castle, create a nursery, stock up on baby products. It seems like such a short time, suddenly. Shiro taps his fingers against his bicep and nods. Already his mind is racing, compartmentalizing what's most important and what can wait.

"Guys, that's plenty of time." Lance pushes himself off of the floor and moves to stand beside Shiro. "We can hit up some space malls to see what they have, or make a trip back to Earth to get what you know, Shiro, so at least one of you has something familiar to work with." He looks to Allura with a reassuring shake of his head. "Baby stuff on Earth is not that complicated, I swear. The worst things are those cloth diapers. And maybe the baby food." He grimaces, shaking his head again. "But yeah. No need to look so worried."

Shiro listens to Lance and exhales again. He nods and reaches around to squeeze Lance's hand. "Thanks, pal. You are definitely an excellent baby encyclopedia."

Lance grins, puts his chin between his forefinger and his thumb. "You can thank me for all of my help by naming one of your babies after me."

"Not. A Chance." Allura steps down from the dias with Pidge's assistance, pursing her lips at Lance. His shoulders slump in disappointment. 

"I mean..." Pidge rocks on her feet, shoulders lifting to her ears with an air of innocence. "Maybe not Pidge, but Katie isn't the worst option in the world."

Shiro smiles softly. "No, it's not. And neither is Lance." He extends a hand to his wife. "But the ultimate say goes to Allura. She is the one carrying and then birthing the twins, after all."

Various sounds of agreement ripple between Lance and Pidge. Shiro watches as Coran shoos them from the room with talk of cleaning and fixing up some minor repairs around the castle. Their groans can be heard well down the hall. Shiro moves to Allura and gives her a small smile. She shakes her head, but her eyes are soft with fondness. Tucking her arm into her husband's, she leads him from the room with a thoughtful hum.

"What are you thinking?" Shiro asks. He places his hand over hers.

Allura hums again. Her eyes narrow just a bit, the way they always do when her mind is turning something over. "I'm not entirely opposed to naming the children after someone else. Hunk has told me that's sort of a tradition on Earth and I think it's... Sweet."

Shiro inclines his head. "Okay. Do you have anyone in mind?" He thinks he knows, but he'd rather not assume.

"I do." Allura stops before their room to allow the door to open, then leads Shiro inside. She slides her robe from her shoulders. The fabric hangs around her arms as she looks at him over her shoulder. "My father is an obvious candidate, I would think."

Shiro nods. That's exactly what he'd thought. It's not an idea he hates, either.

"And the other would be Coran." 

That one does surprise him, but in a very pleasant way. Shiro smiles and takes Allura's robe once she removes it and hangs it up for her. "I like that. Both ideas." He waits for Allura to settle into the bed, then lays down beside her. On her back like this, the baby bump is big and obvious. 

"Do you? Good." Her smile is small and pleased. She smooths her hands over the bump, lacing them against the underside. "Hunk also mentioned that Earthlings have a middle name. I knew of the last names, but three names?" 

Shiro lifts a shoulder. "Sometimes, yeah. First, middle, and last. Some people don't have a middle name, some places only use the first and last name, some do multiple middle and last names. It all depends on where you come from, but three is popular among several cultures. Mine only does two names."

Allura hums thoughtfully. She puckers her lips and glances down at her belly. "Does your culture also give the children the father's last name?" She looks up at him with a sweet smile. "If so, I'd like to do that. I'd like to honor their father."

Warmth blossoms within Shiro's chest. He nods. "Whatever you want, princess." He leans in and kisses her softly, then scoots down the bed so that he's closer to her stomach. "We can start thinking on names. We've got time to work everything out." 

Shiro places his hands carefully, ever so carefully, on Allura's stomach. He rests his cheek to the top of it and hums softly, then turns his head to place a kiss where his cheek had been. "Hello in there. It's your dad again. I know we just talked, like, thirty minutes ago, but I wanted to say hi again. We're thinking of names now. Don't worry, I promise we'll come up with something good."

He rests his lips to the bump again. "I can't wait to meet you guys. You're not even here yet and I already love you so much." Shiro kisses the spot again and glances up. He finds Allura watching him, her eyes warm and bright with so much love that it constricts his heart for a moment. He shifts up when she reaches for him, and lets her pull him into a slow, soft, sweet kiss.

Her hands rest on his cheeks. "I love you," She whispers.

He touches his forehead to hers. "I love you, too." One hand remains on her stomach, where their children are safely growing by the day.

\-------------

Much to Shiro's surprise, building a nursery has been a lot of fun.

They'd scoured several space malls, but had found nothing to Allura's liking. But when they'd visited Earth, she had been charmed by the baby accessories there, so they'd stocked up on the necessities and the induglences. Coran had been the one to stop Allura from buying out the entire baby section in Target, and in Babies-R-Us, and in Kohl's; Shiro had been perfectly fine with letting her shop to her heart's content.

"Don't you think y'all went a little overboard?" Keith asks. He stands across the room, studying the rather large dresser he'd just finished putting together. Beside it sits bags full of onesies and tiny booties and socks, diapers and pacifiers and toys that Allura had collected on Earth. The more elaborate outfits have been packed away in the closet beside the dresser.

Shiro shrugs. "Maybe if we were having just one baby," He says, "But we've got two coming. Besides, Allura was so happy while she was shopping. She won't admit it, but I know she's really sad that she doesn't have any Altean baby stuff left to give her children. I wasn't about to tell her no."

Keith hums. He shrugs and crouches down and begins filling the drawers with stuff beside him. After a moment, he looks up and says, "I really can't believe you're about to be a father. Two kids, Shiro. You're going to have two kids."

Shiro looks around the room slowly. He looks at the cream colored crib against the wall, with it's peach pillows and ivory sheets. He takes in the rocking chair beside it, the changing table on its other side, the mobile of stars and planets hanging over it. He looks at the frames on the walls; there isn't anything special inside of them, Allura had just liked how they looked. The room is sparse, like most rooms in The Castle of Lions, but it already feels so warm and cozy. 

In no time at all, his children will be here. He will be a father, and there will be no going back. Nerves constrict around his heart, but excitement flutters beneath that. Shiro looks at Keith and smiles broadly, openly. "Yeah," He says, "I know. I think I'm ready."

Keith's face softens in a way he usually saves for those closest to him. He stands and crosses the room, clasps his brother's shoulder. "You are," He insists, voice soft. "No one is better equipped for this than you. And we'll all be here to help the both of you out."

Shiro tugs Keith into a tight hug. "Thanks, Keith," He murmurs, throat feeling a bit tight. His life is about to change in such a massive way, but it's relieving to know he has such a tight knit support system.

The door that connects the nursery to the bedroom opens and Allura walks through. Living in a castle that floats through space without a concept of time, or night and day, makes it rather hard to track down a due date, but the princess looks ready to pop. Her belly is round and swollen, protruding out from under her dress in a very unmistakable way. She holds a bundle of white fabric against the top of her bump, just under her chest.

Shiro lets go of his brother and crosses the room to his wife. She looks up at him, her eyes full of happiness. "Look at what Coran found!" She exclaims, holding the fabric out. "Blankets! Blankets for babies! These are only two of them, he found several!"

Shiro reaches out to touch one of the blankets. It's softer than fleece beneath his flesh hand and doesn't catch in the slightest against the mechanics of his prosthetic fingers. He smiles a bit. "Where did he find these?"

"Buried deep within the medical ward, apparently." Allura lifts them both to her cheek and nuzzles the blankets. Her eyes are bright and warm. "Neither are the exact one, but they're similar enough to the blanket my father and my mother would bundle me in when I was that young. White is meant to signify Altean royalty." A soft sigh leaves her. "I finally have something Altean to pass on to my children, I am so happy."

Shiro's smile softens. He leans in and kisses Allura's forehead, brushes his thumb down the cheek that isn't pressed against the blankets. "I'm really glad we have them. Just make sure they get washed at least once, since they were hidden away for a quite awhile."

Allura nods. She lowers the blankets and looks around, nodding in approval. "The room looks wonderful!" Her smile is as happy as her eyes, and she makes sure to include Keith, who gives her a salute in between his attempts to wedge the dresser up against the wall completely. "Everything is where it should be?"

"Almost." Shiro glances around and waves a hand. "We have just a few more things to put away and then it'll be ready to go." He gives Allura a smile. "And then you can come in and change anything you don't like."

Her answering expression is pleased. She takes her husband's hand and kisses his knuckles. "Come, the both of you, I believe it's time for a break and a snack." 

Shiro doesn't object, and neither does Keith, who simply settles the dresser with a huff and rolls his shoulders to alleviate an ache left there from the day's work. He moves across the room to join them and reaches out to touch the blankets when Allura offers them, his hand briefly drifting to her belly. Keith may not admit it out loud, but Shiro knows his brother, and he knows that Keith is already deeply protective of and deeply enamored with the unborn children.

Shiro follows them to the door. He pauses in the door way to look around, and allows himself to take pride in his work. It's a good head start.

\-------------

There has never been a moment that Shiro has regretted teaching Allura English and Japanese curse words. 

Right now, he is extremely grateful for the expansion in her vocabulary, because Altean curse words are not enough to satisfy her need to vent through her pain and discomfort.

The medical ward has been closed off. Only the paladins and a medical expert for this exact moment have been allowed inside. At this moment, not a damn thing in the universe matters as much as what's happening.

Allura is in labor.

The babies are arriving.

Hunk sits across the room with Pidge, clutching her small hands. Already they're both green around the edges. Lance stands at Coran's side, near the machines monitoring Allura's vitals. Shiro and Keith remain at Allura's side. She has a death grip on Shiro's prosthetic hand, very close to denting it, but he doesn't dare say a word about that. 

Allura sits inside of a small pool, not unlike the birthing pools Shiro has heard about. This one is built into the ground. A chain of small lights ring around the inside of the pool, providing enough light beneath the surface of the water to see. The water is warm, pleasantly so - warm enough to relax the body of a being currently going through labor.

Or so they had hoped.

Allura's contorted expression says otherwise.

Beside Shiro, Keith shakes his head. "You are pretty evil for putting her through this," He says.

Shiro doesn't even bother to defend himself, doesn't even bother to mention that Allura was just as complicit in the events that lead to this situation. One wrong word and she'll tear his arm right off and crumble it to dust. Instead, he shifts closer to the pool and dips his free hand in. The water is still as warm as a hot tub, but they can't make it any warmer or else they'll risk burning the twins right out of the womb.

The physician wades into the pool. She's as blue as a clear sky back on Earth, with four eyes and four arms. Shiro had thought about how appropriate that seemed to be for the delivery of twins, but he kept the comment to himself. 

"How are you doing, Your Highness?" The physician, Plyzak, asks. Her voice is deep and raspy, with a surprisingly soothing quality to it. Coran had taken it upon himself to find someone trustworthy and had found Plyzak on a planet that was once a close ally to Altea. That alone had been good enough for Allura. Pylzak has been with them for the last two months of the pregnancy and has proven more than capable of taking care of the princess and the babies.

Allura bears her teeth. "Wonderful." Her shoulders relax as the contraction passes and she leans her head back to release a long, slow breath. Shiro lifts her hand to kiss her knuckles. There isn't much else that he can do for her right now.

Plyzak holds Allura's legs open with two hands and reaches through the water with the other two. She makes a thoughtful face and nods. "Coran?" She calls, looking over her shoulder.

"The first is moving into position!" He responds. The monitor before Coran and Lance shows the shape of Allura's womb and the twins inside of it, thanks to the electrode stickers attached to her. 

Lance steps away from Coran and moves to Allura's other side. He tucks some loose strands of hair behind her ear, offering a small smile. "This is gonna hurt like hell," He tells her, "But it'll be so worth it in the end." Lance takes Allura's free hand and wraps it in both of his. He shakes his head at her protests, kneeling down beside the pool. "Please, Allura, I am a man of steel. I'll be fine!" 

Another contraction hits, and the grip Allura has on Shiro's hand, and now Lance's, tightens without warning. She bows her head and hisses through her teeth; behind her, Lance's jaw drops, eyes almost comically wide. But he holds his ground and doesn't let go. 

Shiro exchanges a dry, amused look with Keith.

Allura turns to Shiro. It's rare that he ever sees fear in her eyes so openly; that, mingled with the pain pinched around her mouth and her brows, tugs at his heart painfully. He doesn't like feeling so helpless. Shiro wiggles out of his shoes, tugs his socks off with his toes, and slides into the pool to kneel beside his wife. She holds his hand in a grip that refuses to budge, so he slides his free arm around her shoulders. Her skin is feverish beneath the wet material of her camisole, hair pulled out of the way in her favored bun. 

Plyzak lifts her head. Her eyes, an unnerving shade of green with red irises, are focused and clear. "The first one is crowning, Princess," She announces, and Shiro's heart stutters. "On my word, push."

Allura sets her shoulders, clenches her jaw with determination. "Push!" Plyzak commands, and Allura does as she's told. Her body bows in on itself, and Shiro can feel her fingers denting his. He presses closer to her, holding her up by her shoulders when she begins to tremble. Across from them, Lance whimpers quietly, but doesn't otherwise make a sound. Across the room, Hunk tries to burrow into Pidge's shoulder to hide from the sight; Pidge can't look away, face full of horrified fascination.

"Push!" Plyzak holds Allura's legs apart firmly with her upper arms. The water is beginning to darken with blood, and still Allura pushes. She makes a frustrated noise, her teeth grinding together, and practically crushes both hands in her grip - 

and then a piercing cry splits the air. 

Plyzak holds a wet, squirming, wailing infant in her hands. Everyone else in the room is utterly silent, unable to look away from the newborn baby. Allura breaks the silence with a breathless sob, and tears blur Shiro's vision.

Beside him, Keith leans over the pool carefully. "It's a boy!" He announces. 

A boy - a son. Shiro cannot take his eyes off of his son. He's wet with water, with blood, with vernix, with who knows what else, tiny fingers flexing through the air. A thick patch of jet black hair lays plastered against his head; his skin is dark beneath the mess, as dark as his mother's. 

Plyzak passes the baby to Coran, who has a towel ready for him. Already the rims of Coran's eyes are red, but he takes the baby with careful ease and begins to clean him off. Shiro feels a small pang of jealousy that he is not the first to hold his first born child, but his joy eclipses the feeling in an instant. 

And then Plyzak is holding Allura's legs apart again, her other hands submerged in the messy water. "Prepare yourself, Your Highness, the next one is crowning," She warns.

Shiro sniffs quietly and secures his arm around Allura's shoulders again. He presses his lips to her hair in a quick thanks for all that she's done so far and re-adjusts his hold on her hand.

Allura exhales unsteadily, closing her eyes. Her jaw sets tightly again, shoulders squaring, and her vice like grip on her husband's and her friend's hands springs back to life as she pushes once more. Shiro leans close, murmurs encouragements to his wife. He can feel her muscles tensing yet again as she forces her body to give up the second child.

Allura slumps once, a quiet sob bubbling in her throat, and then she resumes pushing once more. Plyzak keeps her legs in place. "One more!" She orders, her blue face lined with concentration. Allura grits her teeth, pushes with all of her might, and Plyzak's second pair of hands emerge from the water once more with another baby in them.

Shiro inhales sharply, and beside him, Allura all but slides into the water.  Keith scrambles to the edge of the pool and leans over again. "A girl!" He shouts, "It's a girl!" 

The baby wails, loud and demanding. A shock of white hair covers her head, smeared with blood and vernix and water and Shiro doesn't know what else. She flails in the physician's grip, feet kicking, and the tears in Shiro's eyes spill down his cheeks. His daughter, he has a daughter now too.

Coran is ready with another towel for the baby girl, already cleaning her as soon as he has her. The baby boy sits safely in Lance's arms, clean as can be, wrapped snugly in his white blanket. Hunk and Pidge begin to edge closer now that the worst is over, and Shiro slides his arms around Allura's middle to hold her up. She's practically dead weight, thoroughly exhausted from the ordeal, but her eyes are shining with joy, tears glittering on her white lashes. Shiro presses kisses to her temple, her cheek, her jaw, holding her in his trembling embrace. 

"You did it," He whispers into her hair, "They're here, they're finally here."

Allura lets out another sob. She lays her shaking hands on Shiro's arms, glancing around her. "Please get me out of this tub," She mumbles. Her nose wrinkles as she surveys the mess she's in. 

Plyzak hums as she shakes the water off of her hands. "I understand that you have healing pods?" She glances at Shiro, who nods. "I won't leave your wounds open, Your Highness, but I shall at least cover them and close them until you feel strong enough to be in the pod."

"Thank you, Plyzak." Allura reaches out and grasps one of Plyzak's hands. "Thank you for everything that you have done today."

Plyzak's answering smile is warm. She steps out of the pool to bring one of the beds closer, retrieving a shade to separate the area from the rest of the room while she's at it. Shiro reaches into the water and slides an arm under Allura's leg, wincing when she does. He lifts her carefully, and he smiles when Hunk moves forward with another towel, a much larger one, and holds it up as a shield for Allura. Hunk keeps his gaze averted, moving the towel appropriately as Shiro lifts Allura from the water. He follows them to the bed and lowers the towel once they're on the other side of the shade. Shiro sets Allura down carefully, then reaches out for the towel. "Thanks, buddy," He says, patting Hunk's shoulder.

Plyzak sets to work immediately and Allura allows herself to melt into an exhausted puddle on the bed. Shiro returns to her side and places the towel under her legs to catch any blood or other substances as the physician works. He smiles down at his wife, pries fly away hairs from her temples. Her eyes shutter closed for a moment.

"Where are they?" Allura asks softly. 

"They're with Coran and Lance," Shiro murmurs. "I'll get them as soon as you're taken care of, princess." He's feeling quite anxious himself to meet his children, but Allura must be tended to as well. 

When Plyzak draws a blanket over Allura to cover her, Shiro moves the shade away and waves for the others, just a bit frantic in his movement. They cross the room together. Lance still holds the baby boy; the baby girl is nestled into Coran's arms.

Allura sits up a bit when they approach the bed. Shiro sets a hand at her elbow as she extends her arms, alert in case she's still too weak to move, and watches as Coran places their daughter against her chest. Lance leans over after to place their son beside his sister, and Allura holds them to her carefully, gently. Tears fill her eyes once more; wonder washes across her face, catches her breath in her throat. "Takashi," She whispers thickly. Her head turns to her husband, but she cannot look away from her children.

And neither can Shiro. This close, now that they're cleaned up, he has a better chance to properly look at them. Just as he had noticed earlier, they have their mother's coloring, a gorgeous shade of rich, dark brown. They have Allura's ears as well, tiny and pointed, their noses are unbearably small, their cheeks round and pudgy. The baby girl takes after their mother the most; her patch of white hair, thick and just a bit coarse, is clean now, and she has the same shade of vibrant blue eyes that Allura has. She differs in her markings, which sit under her round eyes in dashes of lavender. The baby boy favors their father; the same jet black hair, as thick and coarse as his sister's, but his eyes are gray like his father's, and his markings are almost as blue as the eyes of his mother and his sister. 

Shiro's heart feels very close to shattering with the amount of joy inside of it. He rests his cheek to Allura's hair and reaches out, gently strokes his thumb across his son's cheek. The baby responds with a soft snuffle that nearly melts Shiro into a puddle. He does the same to his daughter, who touches his thumb with her impossibly small fingers, and Shiro all but loses it right there.

Their family encircles the bed, radiating love and happiness around them. "Congratulations, you guys," Pidge says softly, and all Shiro and Allura can do is smile at each other, at their family. There are no words to express the joy within them, the love they feel for the babies in front of them. They have created new life; they have made new stars to light up their corner of the universe.

\-------------

Absently, Shiro thinks that it was good timing for the twins to be born well after the war the paladins had fought. Had they been born any sooner, the universe would not have stood a chance, because the newest additions to the family in the Castle of Lions have stolen every bit of attention available. 

Shiro knows that their friends are waiting impatiently to see the babies, as they have been every day for the last four days, but there is no point in rushing Allura, something everyone knows. He leans on the edge of the changing table and watches his wife and the careful focus she uses to dress their son in a onesie. Her brows are furrowed as she eases one tiny limb into each leg with the utmost care. Her slender fingers, capable of crushing steel between them, are infinitely gentle while handling Roka. 

Shiro turns his attention to the other baby. He'd dressed Cora with ease after checking her diaper; now she lays beside her brother, fingers flexing curiously as she takes in her surroundings. Cora kicks a tiny foot out, flexing her toes against the foot of her onesie. Both outfits are a soft, pale blue, a color Allura had been particularly drawn to when shopping for baby clothing back on Earth. Shiro smiles softly.

"Okay," Allura breathes. She straightens with a small smile, pleased with her work. Roka simply blinks up at her, eyes round and gray, just like his father's. They've learned in last four days that he's the quieter of the two; so far he prefers to observe the world around him. "Come here, my little prince." Allura picks him up, carefully so, and lays him in the crook of her arm. 

"And you, my little princess, your turn." Shiro moves closer and lifts Cora off of the table to place her in her mother's free arm. Despite the nerves and sheer fear of being so inexperienced with children, Allura has embraced motherhood with determination and excitement. It's clear to anyone that watches her with her children, but Shiro knows her the best, and he knows just how deep her love runs for them.

Shiro reaches for the diaper bag sitting on the floor. They learned on the second day that carrying a diaper bag around is easier than running to the nursery constantly. He glances up when Allura hums thoughtfully.

"Do you think they'll be excited?" She asks.

Shiro grins. "Ecstatic," He insists. He kisses her temple and adjusts Roka's sleeve, then leads his family out to find the others. 

They run into Coran along the way, who leans down to coo at each baby. Cora reaches up for Coran's mustache, and Allura smirks at Shiro over their heads. How telling. 

"How are you feeling, Princess?" Coran asks. He adjusts his grip on his tray, which holds the usual food for the adults, the orange drink for Allura, and several vials of a pale green substance beside the cups. Though Shiro had stocked up on plenty of formula on Earth, he'd promised to let Coran make some old Altean recipes for the twins.

Allura eyes the tonic with obvious distaste. "If I say perfect, will you get rid of that awful drink?" 

Coran chuckles. "One more glass and you won't have to drink any more. And if the twins don't like theirs, either, then more for me!" 

Allura shoots Shiro a look. He can only smile in response. 

The others are waiting for them in the lounge room. The doors open for them and the movement happens all at once; Lance bolts up right from Keith's lap, Pidge shuts her lap top, and Hunk hurries forward to help with something. Shiro passes him the diaper bag with a small thanks. 

"Finally," Keith huffs.

Allura arches a thin, perfectly groomed, snowy brow. "We are all aware that, if I wished to, I could keep my children hidden away in parts of this castle that none of you could hope to find, yes?"

The answering grumbles are sour. Shiro chuckles and walks with Allura down the small steps with a hand at her elbow. Roka whines softly, his lower lip jutting out slightly, but other wise doesn't react. Allura sinks onto the couch carefully and the others move in close, two on the floor, two on the couch, with Coran standing over them. Shiro sits down beside Allura and reaches into the diaper bag beside Hunk for the current favorite toy - a small, soft white lion. 

Coran eases down onto the floor beside Hunk. "May I?" He asks, holding his arms out. Shiro exchanges a private smile with Allura and takes Cora from her, passing her to Coran. He takes her with experienced gentleness, settling her into the crook of his arm, and she squeals quietly, feet kicking out. Already she's the more outspoken of the two, expressing herself with as many noises and flailing gestures as she can manage.

"Can I hold him, then?" Lance asks eagerly. 

Allura allows Lance to take Roka from her and leans back against the couch, angling to lean against Shiro just a bit. He slides his arm around her and rubs at her shoulder. So far, she's handled this entire experience perfectly, he thinks.

Lance tucks Roka into his arms and coos at him with a bright grin. The baby simply blinks at him, which makes Lance snort. "Are you sure this is your kid?" He questions, "Because he's already acting more like Keith than Shiro." 

Keith rolls his eyes, but leans in close to smile at his nephew. A tender smile crosses his face when Roka's gaze moves to him, round and focused. "He's so cute," Keith murmurs.

Allura turns her head to smile at Shiro. He squeezes her shoulder and says, "We do make pretty babies." 

Pidge, who is trying to engage Cora with the small lion, looks up at the new parents. "Hey, it's been a few days," She points out. "Have you guys thought of names yet?"

In truth, it had taken them a while to settle on something appropriate for the both of them. They had finally come to a decision late last night. 

"Yeah," Hunk chimes in. "I don't mind calling them cutie muffins, because they totally are, but names would be nice."

Shiro lifts a hand. "We came up with them last night." He nods to his son, who currently has Keith's index finger in his little fist. "We decided on Roka Alfor Shirogane for our son. Obviously his middle name is for his grandfather, and his first name is Japanese, like mine."

Lance and Keith grin at each other. "Very nice," Lance comments. "Hi, Roka. You've got a cool name, you know that?" He glances up. "And what for the little princess?"

Shiro looks to Allura, who can't contain her smile. "We named our daughter Cora Junia Shirogane." Her eyes find Coran's, and her gaze is full of affection and adoration. "Cora, for you, Coran, for all that you've done for me, and for us, for how important you are. And Junia is for the juniberry flowers on Altea that I loved so much." 

All eyes immediately shift to Coran, who stares at them in shock. "You named her after me?" He breathes. "Allura, Shiro - I -" Tears well suddenly in his eyes, making them sparkle like sapphires. He looks down at the infant in his arms and beams, a soft flush running across his cheeks. "This is the greatest honor I've ever been given. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you." He laughs softly, voice thick with tears, and strokes Cora's cheek. "Hello, Princess Cora. How wonderful."

Allura's smile is warm. "It was very important to me to honor Shiro's heritage as well as my own, and, well, I simply liked the idea of three names. It's odd, but fun." She turns her smile to her husband, who leans down to kiss her cheek. 

Hunk clasps his hands under his chin. "Roka and Cora," He says, testing the names out with a smile. "Prince Roka and Princess Cora. Cutie muffins Roka and Cora." His smile widens as he looks up at Shiro and Allura. "I love it! I love them!"

Shiro grins back, squeezing Allura's shoulder. "So do we." He looks at both of his children, watches the way they interact with the rest of his family, and thinks that he might not ever be able to express the true depth of his love for them, for any of them.

\-------------

Shiro eyes Coran skeptically as he lays out the purple sling to fluff any lint and dust away from it. Across the room, the twins babble over each other in their crib, fussing with each other.

At one month old, Roka and Cora aren't quite able to sit up on their own yet, but they are capable of lifting their heads and crawling at frightening speed when they feel like it. Cora has proven to be rambunctious, demanding, outspoken, and loud, whereas Roka is quiet, observant, shy, and gentle. Both are extremely curious, though, and Shiro's half convinced they both enjoy putting things in their mouths just to scare their parents.

"Are you sure about this?" Shiro asks. He crosses his arms and glances at his babies, who are still babbling at one another.

Coran hums absently. "Absolutely!" He insists. "King Alfor used to carry Allura around like this. She attended many diplomatic meetings as an infant." He lifts the sling and brings it to Shiro, fastens it securely over his shoulders and around his chest. 

"And if something goes wrong?" There's an edge to Shiro's voice as he watches Coran's movements. He's been thinking about every possible worst case scenario all day; it's a miracle his stomach hasn't turned on him yet.

Coran pats his shoulders. "Everything will be fine, Shiro," He promises, "But, should the worst happen, we are all well prepared and more than capable of protecting the twins."

Shiro sighs softly and nods. Allura had given herself very little time for maternity leave, wanting to get back to work as soon as she could. Shiro had convinced her to at least switch to video meetings with other diplomats, which she had agreed to with a very loud sigh. But she could tolerate video meetings for so long, and eventually insisted on getting back to meeting in person with the leaders of rebellions and planets to make sure the era of peace Voltron had ushered in has stayed in tact.

The one problem, though, has been the twins. Allura holds the same view as Coran; simply bring them along. It's not an idea Shiro is fond of, but he would rather have them close by than far out of reach. 

The door opens and Allura walks in. She looks as regal as ever in her blue and white dress, with the pink cape fluttering to lay against her back. Her cloud like hair settles around her back as well, and she smiles at the sight of her husband, in his Black Paladin armor, having a baby sling strapped to his torso. Shiro wrinkles his nose at her.

Allura moves to the crib and leans in to give each baby a kiss. "How are my precious flowers?" She coos, folding her long arms across the railing of the crib. "Are you ready for your first duty as royalty today?" Allura picks each baby up and moves them to their changing table. Shiro moves to her side and holds Roka up with a hand at his back so Allura can brush his hair. It's as dark and as unruly as Shiro's was when he was younger, which he is ridiculously pleased with. When Allura is satisfied, Shiro holds Cora up for her turn. Allura finishes the grooming by creating two pigtails in Cora's snowy hair, so small that they look like tiny white sprouts.

With a small smile, Allura reaches into a pocket hidden within the folds of her dress and withdraws two tiaras identical to hers. The golden circlets are much smaller, but each are fit with the same small, glowing stone. Shiro smiles sweetly. He holds each baby up again so that Allura can place the tiaras on their heads. The fit is perfect. 

Coran leans around Allura's shoulder and makes a surprised noise. "Where did you get those, Princess?" He demands.

"I made them." Pride colors her voice. She's been practicing her magic for years, always finding new ways to develop her skills.

Coran squeezes her shoulder. "They're perfect." He picks Roka up carefully, pausing to kiss his nose, and moves him to Shiro, slides him carefully into the pouch on his back. Shiro turns his head to watch. Roka settles with a quiet noise. He allows Coran to tuck his arms into the pouch without complaint. Coran takes Cora and kisses her nose as well, then turns her around to slide her into the pouch on Shiro's chest. She resists at first, protesting with a rather loud squawk, practically pushing herself away with her feet.

"Hey, now," Shiro chides gently. He reaches up to hold Cora's legs and looks her in the eye. "It's only for a little while. You get to sleep on daddy's chest, what's better than that?" His tone is soothing, coaxing.

Cora pouts at him but allows him to settle her legs into the pouch. Coran chuckles quietly and tucks the rest of her inside, allowing her arms to remain free. She immediately grips the neck of Shiro's armor. 

"What is that word Lance likes so much?" Coran muses, fixing up the sling to his liking. "Ah - sassy. The young princess is quite sassy."

Shiro snorts. "That she is." He smiles at her and leans down to kiss her head. "But she's also a daddy's girl." He's learned pretty quickly that he can get her to do almost anything.

When everything is settled, Coran grabs the diaper bag and leads the family to the main deck. The others are waiting for them, dressed in their armor as well. As soon as he sees them, Lance moves in a blur of blue, white, and orange, and Shiro isn't quite sure what's happening until he hears the sound of a camera snapping. He rolls his eyes but smiles. Pictures; of course Lance is taking pictures. Lance lifts his arm again, but Shiro is ready this time. He stands tall, puts his hands on his hips in his best Superman pose, and twists just enough for both twins to be available. Lance shrieks quietly at the sight and the shutter sounds three more times.

Hunk moves closer, wiggling his fingers at the babies. "Is this safe?" He asks. 

Shiro looks to Allura with a soft exhale. She nods, not a hint of nerves in sight. "My father did this with me, and his father with him," She answers. "It is very important that we introduce Roka and Cora to the universe as proof that the Altean bloodline is not entirely extinct."

Hunk hums uncertainly, pressing the tips of his fingers together, but Pidge pats him on the back. "We can protect them," She reminds him. "All of us can fight, we have five robot lions that can form a giant robot fighting machine, and even without all of that, their parents are, like, two of the strongest and scariest people around. They'll be fine." 

"Exactly," Allura agrees. "Thank you, Pidge." 

Coran passes Keith the diaper bag as he moves to his station. Keith digs into the bag and produces a small burp rag, moves to Shiro and holds it out. Shiro raises a brow, but a small hand on his jaw stops him from asking. He looks over his shoulder, shifting the small hand to his cheek, and sees the reason for the rag is the small puddle of spit up on the strap of the sling. Already Roka's eyelids are drooping, his cheeks round and relaxed. Shiro smiles, soft and warm, his heart swelling almost painfully large at the sight. He takes the rag from Keith and wipes away the spit up carefully, then reaches out to lift his son's chin to lay the rag down. 

Roka whines softly, forcing his eyes open to blink at Shiro. "I know, baby, I know," He murmurs. He lets Roka lay his head on the rag gently and kisses his dark hair. Roka whines again. His little fingers curl against Shiro's cheek before his arm retracts, too tired to be held up any longer, and Shiro can only sigh. Love rushes through him, the current so strong it threatens to bring him to his knees. 

He looks up to find Allura watching them. She wears a smile of her own, eyes soft with the same current of love rushing through Shiro. He moves to her side and takes her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "Ready?" He asks.

Allura reaches up with her other hand to stroke Roka's cheek, to stroke Cora's hair. She smiles, a fleeting thing, and nods. "Yes." Tugging on Shiro's hand, she pulls him towards her and steals a kiss, then lets go and walks to her station. Shiro smiles to himself. He moves to his chair and sits down, careful not to sit all the way back, and places his hands on the console in front of him. Shiro exhales a soft breath. He's acutely aware of the weight on his back, on his chest, and the fragility of both beings.

But he's also aware of the others in the room, and how capable everyone else is - how much they also love Roka and Cora. He allows this to blanket the anxiety within him and quiet the voices in his mind. With another soft breath, Shiro watches the endless black sky outside the castle windows and prepares for the mission.


End file.
